PHOENIX – Investigators say two people in Phoenix have been arrested and accused of multiple offenses, following an armed incident that happened earlier in August.
What we know:
The suspects in the case were identified as 42-year-old Gene White and 45-year-old Jessica Gudinas.
Gene White (left) and Jessica Gudinas (right)
Investigators say officers responded to the area of 19th Avenue and Pinnacle Peak Road on the night of Aug. 9 following multiple 911 calls, and when officers arrived at the scene, one of the three victims told them that they egged a black-colored Kia vehicle in the area of 23rd Avenue and Happy Valley Road.
“The Kia began to aggressively follow behind them in their car, and attempted to collide with their vehicle multiple times in the roadway,” read a portion of the court documents.
During the chase, police say White pointed a black handgun at the victims. When the victims pulled over in the area of 19th Avenue and Pinnacle Peak Road, White exited the Kia, and ordered the three victims to lay down on the roadway, in front of the car they were in.
“[The three victims] all stated they were scared for their lives and complied by lying face down in the trafficway,” investigators wrote. “[White] demanded money from the victims for his car to be washed. [One of the victims] produced [their] wallet, and when [White] saw a $100 bill inside, he demanded it and took it.”
The three victims, according to police, identified White and Gudinas as the suspects. White and Gudinas were later arrested at a home north of I-17 and Jomax Road.
Dig deeper:
Investigators say during White’s post-Miranda interview, he initially denied any contact with the three victims, and said he car was egged while driving, and he went home.
“[White] later admitted that his car was egged by occupants of another vehicle, and he began to follow the car and at some point, made contact with the occupants,” investigators wrote.
Investigators say White offered a different version of the incident than the victims, denying he was armed during the incident, and said he did not have a gun in the car. White also said the victims offered him $100, which he took.
“When [White] was told there were independent witnesses that called police and said there was a man with a gun standing over people on the ground, he said ‘you already have your case then, and I should talk to my lawyer,'” court documents state.
Police say during Gudinas’ post-Miranda interview, she said White was upset after his car was egged, and began “chasing the vehicle as it was trying to run them off the road.” She also said she was not aware that White took money from the victims.
What’s next:
Court documents state White is accused of three counts of armed robbery with a deadly weapon, three counts of aggravated assault, and three counts of kidnapping.
A judge has reportedly set a $50,000 bond for both White and Gudinas.
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